Synthesis and characterization of SnS nanowires

Abstract

SnS nanowires were synthesized by chemical route at ambient temperature. Stannous chloride and sodium sulphide was used as a source of Sn+2 and S−2 ions respectively. The elemental stoichiometric analysis of SnS nanowires was done by employing energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX) technique shows the Sn to S ratio is 1.03. X-ray diffraction shows the synthesized SnS nanowires having single phase of orthorhombic SnS. The grain size of SnS nanowires were determine employing Scherrer's formula and Hall-Williamson plot came out to be 11 nm and 16 nm respectively using X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. The Hall-Williamson plot bring out the residual tensile strain of 0.0024 was produced in synthesized SnS nanowires during the synthesis. Synthesized SnS nanowires show the spherical particles type surface topography. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image showed that the synthesized nanowires have average crystallite size of 11 nm. The synthesized SnS nanowires were shows the optical direct bandgap 1.49 eV and 0.84 eV indirect bandgap. The thermal decomposition of SnS nanowires was studied employing thermogravimetric (TG), differential thermogravimetric (DTG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The obtained results are discussed in details.